Rs. 1,028 m gold seized

Sandasen Marasinghe, Irangika Range and Disna Mudalige

Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Githanjana Gunawardene told Parliament yesterday that Rs 1,028 million worth gold had been seized while being smuggled into and out of the country during fifteen years from 1994 to 2010. He further said that Rs. 308 million worth of gold had been seized while being smuggled into the country and Rs 720 million worth gold had been seized while being smuggled out of the country during the same period.

The deputy minister was responding to an oral question raised by UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera.

The deputy minister further said that gold was taken into custody by the Baggage Division of Sri Lanka Customs at the BIA Departure Terminal and in flights.

Meanwhile, the government has earned Rs 8 million from persons and institutions in the form of fines. Fines amounting to Rs 6 million had been charged by the government from persons and institutions that smuggled the gold into the country while Rs 2 million had been charged as fines from persons and institutions that attempted to smuggle gold out of the country.